Allie M's Recipe

Pumpkin-Chocolate Bread Pudding

Category: Recipes

Pumpkin-Chocolate Bread Pudding

Here Pumpkin-Chocolate Loaf is elevated to an extravagantly rich bread puddinq. Slices of the loaf are soaked in a spiced pumpkin custard with chocolate chunks throughout, so you get a double dose of chocolate and pumpkin. This may become a new holiday tradition at your house. Serves 8 to 12

Pumpkin-Chocolate Loaf (below)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

CUSTARD
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups half-and-half
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks Confectioners' sugar for garnish Whipped cream or creme fraiche for serving (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2 Slice the pumpkin loaf into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices, overlapping them, to fill the baking dish.

3 To make the custard: In a large bowl, with a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and egg yolks until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat the mixture until it is thick and lemon colored. Reduce the speed to low and add the pumpkin puree and half-and-half. Add the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.

4 Ladle the custard over the pumpkin bread slices until the baking dish is filled to the top. Scatter the chocolate chunks all around the pudding, making sure that they are evenly distributed.

5 Set the bakmg dish in a larger baking pan and pour enough hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sidesof the dish. Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

6 Using heavy oven mitts and a large spoon, push the bread down so the still-liquid custard rises in the dish. Spoon the custard evenly over the bread slices. Bake for about 10 more minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out barely clean. Let cool Slightly on a rack.

7 Sprinkle the pudding with confectioners' sugar and spoon out onto dessert plates. Serve with whipped cream or creme fraiche, if desired.

ADVANCE PREPARATION The custard may be made up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate couered, and bring to room temper=AD ature before assembling. You may also prepare the dish tbrougb Step 4 up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate it hefore cooking. It will be a bit less custardv when baked, since the bread will have absorbed the custard

Pumpkin~Chocolate Loaf
Serves 12

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
11/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
11/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces

1 Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch nonstick loaf pan.

2 In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and whisk together.

3 In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla, then add the flour mixture, beating Just until well blended.

4 In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate over medium-high heat, stirring occa=AD sionally until smooth, about 5 minutes. Or melt in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until completely melted and smooth.

5 Spoon half of the batter into the loaf pan. Spoon half of the melted chocolate on top of the batter and swirl it into the batter with a wooden skewer. Repeat with the remaining batter and chocolate, making sure to swirl the chocolate into the batter well.

6 Bake the loaf for about 1 hour, or until a metal skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then invert onto the rack and turn right-side up. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into slices.